True Paths, True Apologizes
by Rebekka Leigh
Summary: Follow Storm on her journey to face her fears and the love of her life.


A small group of people walked through the freezing cold plains that surrounded the city of Flanior, cursing Celsius's icy gr

_**A small group of people walked through the freezing cold plains that surrounded the city of Flanior, cursing Celsius's icy grip of the city. Over the howl of the wind they heard the sounds of battle and the cries of spells as they were cast.**_

_**"Kratos. We have to go help." The smallest said, his large blue eyes looking at the older man.**_

_**"No. It's not our place to interfere." Kratos replied. As they continued closer, they were able to hear the conversation that was going on between spells and the sound of metal on metal.**_

_**"You stupid little bitch. How dare you run from us. You know what father will do. Why fight us?" A male voice laughed, before cursing the person he was talking to.**_

_**"You're going to pay for that, Storm." Another male called before chanting a spell. Before he got too far, he was stopped by a light voice crying out the end of a spell.**_

_**"Gravity Well!" A girl said.**_

_**"Kratos." The girl with the group said, looking at him, "She can not hold out much longer."**_

_**"Fine." The man said. They picked up their pace and soon came upon a battle field, 4 men on one side, a single girl on the other.**_

_**"Father is not going to be pleased, stop fighting with us and come back. We won't tell him of your little outburst." The oldest man said.**_

_**"Burn in hell, human." She knocked an arrow and let it go, "Thunder Arrow!" Dark purple mana covered the arrow and took the shape of a larger arrow. It struck one of the men dead in the chest. He fell to his side and did not move.**_

_**"No good half-elf. Father isn't going to forgive your now."**_

_**"I'm not going back." She knocked another arrow. The remaining 3 men charged at her. She dropped the bow and arrow and reached for a sword that rested at her side. She swung it around and softly chanted another spell. Once the men were on her, she swung her blade around and continued chanting. "Burn in hell. Explosion!" The ground glowed red then exploded with the fiery spell. The girl was hit in the process, but managed to kill her attackers. She was thrown many feet back and landed on her side. The girl and boy ran to her side and knelt down next to her.**_

_**"Are you okay?" The boy asked. She looked up at him and nodded. She tried to sit up but groaned as her stomach muscles tighten. She pulled her arms away from her side and saw them covered in blood. With a light voice she healed herself and looked at the two in front of her.**_

_**"You're half-elves…How are you able to walk around without being challenged?" She asked her voice soft and light.**_

_**"We have our ways, much like you. I'm Mithos, and this is my sister Martel. The other two are Kratos and Yuan. What's your name?"**_

_**"Storm." She brushed her long reddish-brown hair back and looked around her. Her eyes stopped at the red haired man staring away from her. In an instant she was up and hugging him. Everyone looked at her then Kratos, fearing the worst. They were shocked to see him hug her back.**_

_**"What did he do?" The older man asked softly, running his hands through her soft hair in a comforting way.**_

_**"The same as last time."**_

_**"I will kill that man."**_

_**"No. Don't. I know you hate him, and I hate him too, but don't kill him. Andre and Sky would be lost without him."**_

_**"He has no right to live after touching you like-"**_

_**"Kratos." She looked at him, her large honey brown eyes pleading with him.**_

_**"Fine." She stepped back and smiled.**_

_**"Care to introduce us?" The blue haired half-elf asked.**_

_**"Storm, this is my traveling companions, Yuan, Martel and Mithos. Guys, Storm, my half-sister."**_

Storm sat on a rock, her honey eyes staring out in front of her, a faint smile on her face as she remembered her first meeting with the group. It's been thousands of years, but she still smiled at the thought of their faces.

_How I miss those days. It was so peaceful and fun. Mithos didn't have a care in the world and Martel was amazing. Yuan and Kratos were the best friend anyone could have. I thought we would be together for a long time, but Martel was killed…everything went down from there__**.**_ She thought. She pushed herself off the rock and fell a few feet to the ground. Once standing, she walked off, following the sound of voices.

"Storm! Where did you disappear to?" Lloyd asked, his eyes showing concern.

"I had to gather my thought. Forgive me for worrying you." She said, bowing slightly.

"No problem." He smiled. Across from her, Kratos looked at her.

"Storm." He said. She looked at him. His hard brown eyes told her it was time to leave the group.

"Lloyd, Colette, Genis, Raine, Kratos. I am sorry, but I must leave you here. I can not go any closer to Luin. Forgive me for not accompanying you further. I will meet you in Hima. It is a way to reach the Tower of Salvation from the city." After a few minutes of good byes and hugs, Kratos and her stood a few feet from them.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To find Yuan and visit home. It has been many years since I was there last." Her brother nodded, "I will most likely not be joining you in Hima. I will leave a massage with the inn keeper." She hugged him and walked off.

_Sweet girl. Why can't Mithos realize how much she cares for him? _He thought, watching as she summoned her large dark purple wings and flew away.

_It pains me to be against him, but he's left me no other way to get close to him._ She thought, sighing into the wind. Her travel was quick, and she let herself drop a hundred feet above the golden sand outside the Renegade's base. She walked up to the door and was greeted warmly by the men standing there.

"Good day, Lady Storm." They said, opening the door. She smiled at them and walked through the door. She walked quickly to the room where her friend would be. She opened the door and walked in.

"Storm!" The blue-haired half elf said. He walked up to her and hugged her, "What are you doing here?"

"I wish to visit home for a few days. And to come tell you that I need a new job. Kratos is not letting me do what I want."

"You are the only one who can stop the Chosen from going."

"You can not stop this girl. Anyone you send to kill her will die by either Kratos or Lloyd. I will revel myself and kill her, but there is still a chance I will not make it back."

"Don't. You work on trying to reason with Yggdrasill." Her eyes dropped, "What happened?"

"We fought. Physically. I won; he knows I am stronger than him. He wants me dead." Her voice was a whisper. Yuan wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"Give him time to cool off. He will talk to you."

"Thank you Yuan." She kissed his cheek and pulled away, "I have something for you." She reached in the pocket of her pants and pulled out a necklace, "I found it while I went through my things in my room. How did I end up with all 5 of these?" There were 5 small sapphires embedded in a gold leaf with his name under them.

"You have all of them?"

"Yes." She picked up a silver chain off her chest and showed him the delicate silver orchid embedded with multiple gems, mainly garnets and deep purple diamonds, her name carved in soft flowing letters.

"So it to him. He will remember."

"I hope so. It took Martel and me years to find the gems." She hugged him again then walked to the room where she can return home. She stopped suddenly and fell heavily against one wall. She brought her hand to her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

_**"You have no right to say these things to me. What makes you think I will listen to you?" Yggdrasill yelled.**_

_**"Because I care for you, Mithos. Please. Understand that. I care for you." She pleaded. The blonde male shook his head violently and slammed his fist into a wall.**_

_**"I don't want your sympathy."**_

_**"But-"**_

_**"No." He shot a ball of mana at her. It clipped her left arm, tearing the white fabric of her arm band off.**_

_**"You…" she looked at him, her brown eyes wide, "You tried to kill me." A white seal appeared under him. The ground exploded in white light as her attack it him.**_

_**"What about you? That damn attack would kill the best soldier. Holy Lance…I'll show you power." Storm was incased in a dark red ball. She ended up on her side, feet away from where she was standing with a large free bleeding wound on her right shoulder.**_

_**"Power? Is that everything to you? What about me? Kratos? How about Yuan? What about us?" She crossed her body and hissed a long spell. Mithos was hit by 4 large black arrows, while her shoulder was healed. The other angel swayed in his spot.**_

_**"Leave. I never want to see you again! Go." He pushed her away with a blast of mana. She turned from him and ran, tears rolling down her face, staining her white shirt, and mixing with the red blood.**_

"Lady Storm? Are you alright?" A man asked, looking at her. She slid down the wall and lay there, not moving.

_**Storm and Martel stood next to each other, smiling as the smith handed them their necklaces.**_

_**"My 200,000 glad." The smith ordered. Storm untied a large heavy brown bag from her waist and handed it to him.**_

_**"Thank you sir." Martel said. The women left in search of their companions. They found them sitting around staring off at different things.**_

_**"Brother, Yuan, Mithos!" Storm yelled. They stood up and walked to them, "Close your eyes and stand still." They looked at each other and stood still. The girls walked up to them and put their necklaces on.**_

_**"What is this?" Yuan asked.**_

_**"You know how Kratos and I have promise rings, well; I thought we could do the same with the necklaces." She fingered the silver orchid and smiled when the older men nodded. Mithos looked at her.**_

_**"What?"**_

_**"They symbolize what ever happens to us, we will stay together and never turn on each other. And over all, stay true to each other."**_

_**"Oh." He placed his hand over the star. Yuan ran his fingers over the gold leaf while Kratos looked at his cresset moon.**_

_**"How did you come up with the different symbols?"**_

_**"We decided they would be what reminded us of you. Martel's is a heart, for she is always caring for others, Mithos' is the star because he shines the brightest, Yuan is the soft, gentle floating leaf, he is always the last to judge and last to leave someone, Brother's is a cresset moon because his mood changes like the moon, and mine is the orchid, delicate, but yet the symbol of death." They nodded.**_

"What happened to her?" Yuan yelled, watching as a guard brought an unconscious Storm in.

"I don't know sir. She fainted in the hall."

_**"Damn you. You let her die! How could you let her die?" Mithos yelled at Storm, kneeling next to his dead sister.**_

_**"I c-c-couldn't. I am w-w-weak from f-f-f-fighting." Storm stuttered, shaking violently.**_

_**"Why?"**_

_**"I used all my mana on s-s-saving you." She closed her honey eyes and let tears rolled down her face.**_

_**"That's not good enough. Bring her back. Do it now." The boy yelled, tears flowing down his face.**_

_**"I can't, Mithos."**_

_**"I hate you!" He unlatched the gold necklace and threw it in front of her, "Leave me alone. I hate you!" She grabbed the necklace and ran. Kratos and Yuan looked at each other. Yuan ran after Storm, while Kratos dealt with the kid.**_

_**"Storm!" The half-elf yelled. Muffled sobs directed him to the girl. She was curled up at the base of a large tree, her head buried in her arms. "Storm." His voice was gentle. She mumbled something, "Dear, I'm over here, not in your arms." She propelled herself into his arms.**_

_**"He blames me." She cried.**_

_**"Shhh. No he doesn't. He's not happy; he is dealing with this in his own way. He does not blame you."**_

_**"Yes he does!" She tightened the grip on his shirt. He rocked her back and forth until she fell asleep.**_

Yuan paced in front of a closed door. The door slid opened and a man walked out.

"How is she?"

"She exhausted herself. She will be fine with a few days rest. When she wakes up, you must keep her still. She will pass out again if she moves too much." The man said.

"Thank you." The doctor walked away and the half-elf walked into the room. Storm lay on her back, her breaths shallow and slow, her long red brown hair was fanned out across the white pillow, and her thin pale arms were folded across her chest.

_**"Cruxis?" Storm asked.**_

_**"We will make the world a better place, Storm. Better for half-elves everywhere. For us, for everyone." Mithos said. The red crystal on his chest glowed and his form became older and a set of large rainbow wings appeared on his back, "Angels. That is what we will look like to everyone." Storm looked at the boy and closed her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Yuan standing protectively next to her. "I want all of us to join together. We can do it. I now we can." He walked up to the giant green seed and placed his hand on it.**_

_**"Mithos." She said, her voice shaking slightly. He looked at her. She smiled and nodded her head. He walked up to her and hugged her.**_

_**"Kratos? Yuan?" Both men nodded. Storm's dark purple-red crystal glowed faintly. Off her back appeared large dark purple wings. They twitched and opened then closed before disappearing. To her sides, Kratos's royal blue wings and Yuan's pink wings twitched and disappeared.**_

Yuan paced back and forth, stopping every now and then to look at Storm and the glowing Cruxis crystal. A sudden twitching movement of Storm's body sent a wave of worry over the older half-elf. She opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling.

"How long have I been out?" She asked, moving her head to look at him.

"It's been 5 days." She closed her eyes and sat up.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay here. I must go." She swung her legs to the edge of the bed and stood up. She fixed her light blue shirt and the brown skirt.

"The doctor-"

"I don't listen to anyone, Yuan. Or have you forgotten?" She smiled.

"I'm going to send 3 of my men with you."

"It is not necessary. I will meet up with Kratos and he will make sure I don't do anything stupid."

"They are going with you."

"Fine. We leave in 5 minutes." She grabbed her sword belt and wrapped it around her waist, letting one side dip lower. On the one hip, she placed her bow and quiver and on the other, her sword hung. The door behind her slid open as 3 people walked in. She turned and looked at them.

"Lady Storm." They all said, bowing.

"Names please?"

"Adien." The male blonde said.

"Jaden." The dark haired male said.

"Tzar." The female said.

"We move quick and fast. We need to reach Yggdrasill in 2 days."

"How are we going to get there?"

"Fly." They nodded and followed her out of the room.

_We have an archer, a technical swordsman, a healer/magic user, and me. Great group._ She thought, laughing.

"How are we going to get to him?"

"I have my ways of getting there, be prepared to die. I don't see any of us coming out." They nodded again and let her lead them.

All 4 half-elves stood outside a gate, Storm opened the door and they were teleported to Mithos.

"You are back Storm." He said, looking at the soldiers around her, "You have come to fight."

"I will not let this go on, Mithos. You are ruining everything. Martel would not have wanted this." She said.

"How do you know? Martel wanted a better place for half-elves, just like us."

"But she would not have done it in a violent manner. She would have found a nonviolent way to solve the problem." His eyes changed.

"You know nothing of her. She would want this." He blew a large mana blast at her and her companions. Storm survived the attack, but the other three were unconscious. Her wings appeared and she floated above him.

"No, Mithos. She would have wanted you to change the world peacefully." She closed her eyes, "Cast your purifying light upon this corrupted soul. Cast your judgment on this creature. Take my life from me. FINAL JUDGMENT!" White light crashed down on the 2 angels. Once the light faded, Storm and Mithos stood in front of each other, Storm bleeding and barely standing, while Mithos stood bleeding, "I give my life to make you see the truth of your path. Good-bye…Mithos." She whispered her name and fell forward. The blonde angel looked at her in shock. The three other half-elves regained consciousness looked around them. Once their eyes fell on Storm, they rushed to her side and shielded her body from the angel.

"Storm? Storm? Answer me! Storm!" He yelled, his form fading into the child, "What did you do? Storm…." He turned and ran away. The half-elves picked the angel's body up and carried her back to Yuan.

Yuan stood next to a grave, in his hand sat a silver orchid, a gold heart, a gold star, and a silver cresset moon.

"I will make sure they get the gifts, Storm." He placed the silver necklace around the hilt of her blade before walking away.

_Mithos. I'm sorry, Mithos._


End file.
